If you’re ready for a welcome change in the heart of your home, but still wish to keep it as eco-friendly as possible, then check out these hip, classy, and quirky sustainable kitchen backsplash ideas.

Backsplashes have many benefits. You can dress up a drab kitchen, increase the value of your home, and even make the walls easier to clean. As you’ll learn from the examples below, backsplashes can be extremely creative and artistic, or as traditional and classic as you’d like.

Fortunately, you don’t have to sacrifice style for sustainability. In fact, even your grout and mortar can serve their purposes while also being non-toxic. Be sure to check out these non-toxic setting and finishing options here.

It’s totally understandable if you’ve grown tired of looking at that empty, spaghetti sauce-stained expanse under your cabinets, so maybe it’s time to get planning, get creative, and give one of these kitchen backsplash ideas a try!

1. Cork Dotz Brown Mosaic Tile

Get the look of organic tile while also using a material that’s good for the environment. This option is a great choice if you want something that’s renewable and recyclable. The trees from which cork is harvested never have to be cut down and they can live for hundreds of years. It’s also aesthetically pleasing and becomes waterproof once sealed. This cork tile requires some maintenance, like annual re-sealing, but in the end, we’d say this warm, inviting addition is worth it. Get it here.

2. CD Mosaic Backsplash

Remember these round slivers of house party goodness? That’s right, the compact disks you and your girls used to get down to can now play double duty as your kitchen’s backsplash. They have a surprising mother of pearl appearance and end up looking pretty rad. Check out the example here for some inspiration on how to create your own.

3. Recycled Clay Tile

With over 100 different colors, this recycled clay tile is sure to jive with even the most discerning decorating plan. Handmade in California, this beautiful tile is created with over 70 percent recycled content. According to the Fire Clay Tile website, their clay tile contains “post-consumer waste up-cycled from curbside-recycled glass bottles, waste porcelain from toilets and bathtubs, and other manufacturer’s pre-consumer waste, including granite dust and spent abrasives. They also re-use our own waste water and manufacturing scrap.” How’s that for commitment to sustainability?!

4. Penny Backsplash 

Ever lusted after penny tile? Well now you can have it…literally! If you’re the chick that opted for endurance sports and refuses to give up without a fight, then this is the project for you. Creating a kitchen backsplash from pennies isn’t for the fair of heart and will require some dedication in order to apply, oh say, 6,000 pennies to a wall. But fear not, because the outcome is absolutely stunning. Check out the finished results here. Glue them up one-by-one, or create professional mesh mosaic squares like in the tutorial here.

5. Reclaimed Wood Tile 

You can pick up reclaimed wood on your own from various places, like salvage yards, or old barns, but did you know that you can also purchase recycled wood tile that’s ready for install? Everitt & Schilling Tile specializes in fine wood wall tile that comes from either reclaimed barnboard or upcycled hardwood and are said to be finished with the highest quality, environmentally friendly finishes. Their product is easy to install, gorgeous, and comes in a variety of styles, patterns, and colors.

6. Mason Jar Mosaic 

If you love the coastal chic look and adore the idea of a sea glass-esque kitchen, then definitely check out this beautiful blue mason jar backsplash tutorial here. This is a simple, inexpensive, and striking way to dress up your coastal cottage kitchen.

7. Recycled CRT Tiles 

What do ginormous TVs and computer monitors have in common? They utilize CRTs, or cathode ray tubes, in order to display their pictures, and now that part is being turned into some really gorgeous and useful tile. Since recyclers have amassed 860 million pounds of CRT glass, this idea couldn’t have come at a better time. The result is a cool, opaque gray with bits of black and an almost ethereal finish that can be seen here.

8. Bottle Cap Backsplash 

Looking for something quirky and affordable? Then why not try a bottle cap backsplash. Collect them organically, or band your friends together and have them pitch in their old caps. Not a beer drinker? No worries. Get creative with soda instead. Check out this awesome bottle cap backsplash result here.

9. Recycled Glass Tile

Chances are you’ve heard of recycled glass backsplash tiles, but did you know that you can create stunning designer looks from pre- and post-consumer waste? Oceanside Glass Tile has a breathtaking array of options for your kitchen backsplash and they’re committed to sustainability and philanthropy. They often utilize silica, an abundant naturally occurring resource, scrap material that hasn’t yet been used by consumers, as well as waste that has.

10. Broken Plate Mosaic

Make use of those forgotten decorative plates from your local thrift store and you’ll have a beautiful backsplash for just a few dollars. Executed similarly to the Mason jar backsplash, this application is also simple and beautiful. For a kitchen that’s as unique as you, head over to the tutorial here.

Now that you have the lowdown on 10 of the most beautiful and sustainable kitchen backsplash ideas, we want to hear from you. Have a project to share? Feedback about our suggestions? Sound off on the EcoSalon Facebook page!

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Kitchen backsplash image via Shutterstock

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One glance at a backsplash made of recycled tile on Re-Nest.com, and we were smitten. (When I sent the link to Sara, her response was hilariously succinct: “want.” That makes two of us.) If you have leftover tile from a bathroom remodel or tile that’s slightly cracked or irregular in size, this is the perfect project! In fact, we love how the variations in the size and shape of the tiles play off the monochromatic color palate in Re-Nest’s example.

But it turns out that you can also use mix different colors or different shades from the same color family. The DIY Network has step-by-step instructions on creating a backslash from recycled tile.

You can also use stencils to dress up your existing tile backsplash. Or you could opt for recycled aluminum tile for a glossier look, perhaps playing off of stainless steel appliances.

Don’t have extra tile lying around? We also uncovered several companies that specialize in recycled glass, like the Seattle-based Bedrock Industries and Oregon-based Stardust Glass Tile. According to one source, recycled tile is a bit more time-intensive to prepare and install, but we think the eco benefits (not to mention the stylish results) make it worth a little extra prep time.

The post Green Crush: Recycled Tile Backsplash appeared first on EcoSalon.